Notices

Hope Street in CBD closed due to flooding, please use alternative routes.
Motorists travelling towards Pacaltsdorp in Beach Road to drive carefully and use left lane.
Section of Artillery Road Delville Park flooded.
Motorists and other road users must take extreme care in rainy weather and look out for areas that may be partially flooded. Use alternative routes where possible.
Please report all flooding and related incidents to 044 801 6300.
Issued George Municipality 19 August at 08.20am

PUBLIC NOTICE: Requests for Assistance with Gunplast
Issued George Municipality, 19 August

Members of the public who require assistance with the supply of “Gunplast” (repair of roofing due to high winds, excessive rainfall etc) must please register their requests as follows:
1. Telephonically report the matter to the George JOC on 044 801 6316 or After Hours 044 8016300
2. Visit your nearest Area Office or Ward /other Councillor who will report on your behalf.
3. Email to gmun@george.gov.za providing the necessary Contact Details, Names of residents affected and Street Address.
4. Log via the Municipal App, Housing Queries OR General Request with the necessary Contact Details, Names of Residents affected and Street Address

Such faults will be assigned to the Human Settlements Directorate for assessment and assistance where possible.
Please note any requests sent directly to officials via Whatsapp or direct email will not be addressed.

OPENBARE KENNISGEWING: Versoeke om hulp met “gunplast”
George Munisipaliteit uitgereik, 19 Augustus
Lede van die publiek wat hulp benodig met die verskaffing van “gunplast” (herstel van dakke as gevolg van sterk wind, oormatige reënval, ens.) moet hul versoeke soos volg registreer:
1. Rapporteer die voorval telefonies aan die George JOC by 044 801 6316 of na-ure 044 801 6300
2. Besoek u naaste areakantoor of wyk / ander raadslid wat namens u die voorval sal rapporteer.
3. E-pos aan gmun@george.gov.za met die nodige kontakbesonderhede, name van inwoners wat geraak word en straatadres.
4. Meld aan via die munisipale App, behuisingsnavrae OF algemene versoek met die nodige kontakbesonderhede, name van inwoners wat geraak word en straatadres.
Sulke foute sal aan die Direktoraat Menslike Nedersettings toegeken word vir assessering en hulp waar moontlik.
Neem kennis dat versoeke wat direk via Whatsapp of direkte e-pos aan amptenare gestuur word, nie hanteer sal word nie.

ISAZISO KUWONKE-WONKE: Izicelo zoNcedo nge “Gunplast”
Sikhutshwa nguMasipala waseGeorge, 19 August

Amalungu oluNtu adinga uncedo ngokubonelelwa nge “ Gunplast” (ukulungiswa kophahla ngenxa yomoya omkhulu, imvula egqithisileyo njl njl) kumele ancede abhalise izicelo zawo ngolu hlobo:
1. Axele ngomnxeba lo mbandela kwiGeorge JOC kwa-044 801 6316 okanye Emva kweeYure zoMsebenzi kwa-044 8016300
2. Andwendwele i-ofisi yawo yeNgingqi ekufuphi okanye uCeba weWadi/ okanye omnye uCeba oza kuxela egameni lakho.
3. Athumele i- imeyili ku gmun@george.gov.za enikezela ngeeNkcukacha zoQhagamshelwano eziyimfuneko, Amagama abahlali abachaphazelekayo kunye neDilesi yeSitalato.
4. Angenise ngokubhala kwi-App kaMasipala, Imibuzo yezeZindlu OKANYE Isicelo ngokuBanzi esineeNkcukacha zoQhagamshelo eziyimfuneko, Amagama abahlali abachaphazelekayo kunye neDilesi yeSitalato.

Iziphene ezilolo hlobo ziya kunikezelwa kwiCandelo loLawulo lokuHlaliswa koLuNtu malunga nokuvavanywa kunye noncedo apho kunokwenzeka.
Nceda uqaphele ukuba naziphi na izicelo ezithunyelwa kumagosa nge-whatsapp okanye nge-imeyili ngqo aziyi kuqwalaselwa.

Prof Marc Mendelson, Infectious diseases expert, addresses vaccine misinformation

Follow the link:

Mayor’s Desk Newsletter for 12 August

A recent series of visits to a number of Ward projects is yet another reminder of the ravages of the Covid-19 pandemic that hopefully is slowly down its third wave in George. We have recently experienced the highest infection rate within the Western Cape. It is so important that we continually remain aware of the need to wear masks, observe social distancing, wash hands regularly and generally remain alert to be safe and conscious of changes in our health. The vaccination programme is also underway and we should be registering and obtaining our jabs.

The Municipality continues to support approximately 130 soup kitchens where dedicated “tannies” make sure that children who would not otherwise be fed, queue up after school to receive helpings of nourishing soup 3 times a week and in some cases 5 times a week. At one soup kitchen the chefs are up by 06h00 to commence with the day’s meal for 250 children. One is left with thoughts of how additional assistance can be provided in these desperate situations in the form of additional protein, flour, pots, ingredients. The Municipality assists with ingredients, electricity, gas while numerous businesses provide assistance in various ways.

In many cases, the parents have lost their forms of employment and are unable to afford keeping youngsters in creches. Some creches are also being vandalised with criminal elements breaking into premises to steal items that are then sold off cheaply.

Over the past year many forms of illegal dumping have emerged. The Municipality has been employing teams who move around clearing up these dumping sites. Invariably front-end loaders and tipper trucks are used to clear up and remove the waste. Soon after clearing up a site with the team having moved on to the next problem, communities once again start the dumping process. This continued cycle of ill-discipline is costly and means that funds are not being spent on worthwhile projects for communities. A roster exists for refuse collection in the form of black (household refuse), green (garden) and blue (recyclables) bags, yet communities do not encourage their neighbours to assist in keeping their surroundings clean and healthy. The Community Services Directorate is now exploring the introduction of incentive programmes in communities where monitors can be rewarded for keeping their areas clean.

It is encouraging to see individuals who have started vegetable gardens on their own and often neighbour’s properties to successfully grow vegetables for their own use and sale. We should now be looking to holding regular market days where excess produce can be sold.

Any suggestions on assistance for the plight of citizens living in these difficult circumstances can be sent to: smartideas@george.gov.za so that my office can attempt to facilitate.

Public Notice: New access road to Gwaiing landfill site via refuse transfer station from Tuesday, 10 August 2021
The current access gate at the refuse transfer station on the premises will be permanently closed from Monday afternoon, 9 August 2021 at 18h00.

All vehicles visiting the landfill site premises off the R102 Airport Road, will use the access gate of the refuse transfer station. Vehicles will drive onto the weighbridge, stop and then proceed via the second gate inside the transfer station towards the Gwaiing landfill site.

All vehicles MUST stop on the weighbridge to be recorded and weighed, before proceeding to the second gate. All household and office refuse must be dumped at the refuse transfer station.

Only green waste, organic waste, woodcuttings, sawdust, builders rubble, construction waste and soil are permitted on the landfill site.

No hazardous waste, light tubing, any vehicle parts, tyres, all asbestos products, e-waste, plastic or cartons are permitted on the landfill site.

No mixed waste: waste must be separated at the source and disposed of at the right waste facility. ( Landfill site or refuse transfer station)

Rules of access to the landfill site and refuse transfer station will be strictly adhered to. We appeal to the public to assist and work together with the security personnel and municipal officials at these facilities to ensure that all occupational health and safety regulations, COVID -19 protocols and all licensing conditions of the refuse transfer station and Gwaiing landfill site can be adhered to.

Landfill Site and Transfer Station, Airport Road, open to public weekdays 7am-6pm and Saturdays 7am to 5pm.
Covid-19 protocols in place, bring your own pen to sign in for extra safety. For queries contact 044 802 2900 or email anontshikiza@george.gov.za

REMINDER – MISS THE QUEUES – YOU CAN RENEW YOUR MOTOR VEHICLE LICENCE NOW
Issued George Municipality, 2 August 2021

Due to the hard lockdown period from 27 March 2020 – 31 May 2020, the National Department of Transport made the decision to move all motor vehicle license renewals, expiring in this timeframe to 31 August 2020. This has however resulted in little, to no motor vehicle licenses expiring a year later in 2021 (March, April and May).

The George Motor Vehicle licensing office is expecting a massive influx of license renewals for August 2021 onwards and would like to encourage members of the public to renew their motor vehicle licenses as early in August as is possible to avoid long queues.

If your license disk expires later in the year, you will pay a pro-rata fee (not the annual license fee) and your new license disk will be valid for a year from the payment date. You can also pay your motor vehicle license online, see details of how to do so below.
Please contact the motor vehicle license office at (044) 801 9310 to inquire as to the pro-rata amount payable for your license disk.

Motor Vehicle Registration and Licencing
Hibernia Street (next to train station) 044 801 9310
Open to the public weekdays 8am-3pm, except Wednesdays when closed at 2pm due to compulsory training, or if otherwise indicated as per Covid-19 measures.
Access control is from the gate at the street, when necessary.

Please consider ONLINE RENEWAL of vehicle licenses as per details below instead of in-person renewals at the vehicle licencing centre as Covid-19 regulations significantly impacts on the amount of people that can be served in a day.

Bulk transactions are being handled separately or after hours when required. Pregnant women, the elderly and disabled can pre-arrange preferential treatment by calling 044 801 9310.
While vehicle licence RENEWALS CAN be done online, the REGISTRATION of vehicles CANNOT be done online as RICA requirements stipulate that the owner of the vehicle must physically appear in front of the official and the documentation must be original – this is, among other things, a measure against fraudulent registration of vehicles.

ONLINE ELECTRONIC PAYMENT OF VEHICLE LICENCE RENEWALS
1. The customer starts by registering a profile online at https://online.natis.gov.za/#/ or download the RTMC mobile application for Android from Google PlayStore.
2. Choose between registering as an individual or business.
The following information will be required:
Individual: initial, name, surname, ID number, driving license number, contact details via mobile phone or email.
Organisation: name of business, ID number of proxy, driving license number of proxy, contact details via mobile phone or email.
3. A one-time pin will be sent to your email or mobile phone number, which you must enter online.
4. Go to the ‘View motor vehicle renewals’ section and verify the information of the vehicle for which you are renewing the licence.
5. Access and/or download your electronic motor vehicle license RENEWAL NOTICE (also known as a MVL2 notice).
6. If your licence disk is valid but near expiry or if it has expired but is still in the 21-day grace period after expiry, the amount for the renewal of your vehicle will be on the notice.
7. If your license has already expired beyond the grace period, it will not indicate an amount on the system and clients must please phone the George Motor Vehicle Licensing office at 044 801 9310 to confirm the amount due.
8. Pay the amount due into the George Municipality, FNB Public Sector Cheque Account, Number 62869623150 (Branch Code 210554). Use the relevant vehicle license number as a reference such as CAW ###### / Private number ##### WP.
9. Email the proof of payment to payments@george.gov.zaand mvr@george.gov.za. Please note the forementioned email addresses are no-reply addresses and are set up for proof of payments only and cannot be used for enquiries. Please phone 044 801 9310 for enquiries.
10. Keep a copy of your proof of payment in the relevant car until you receive your license disk but keep your expired disk on your window in the meantime. Traffic law requires officials to still issue you with a ticket for displaying an invalid disk, but you can appeal the fine and submit the proof of payment as part of your request to have the fine cancelled (details for the appeal process is on the back of the fine).
11. Once payment reflects on the municipality’s bank statement, the vehicle license will be processed, and you will be contacted to arrange collection. Please do not collect unless pre-arranged and notified via telephone – you won’t have to queue in the transaction lines when you collect.
If you want the licence posted to you, please give the person who phones you the address to which you require it posted.
Licences that have not been collected within two weeks from the notification phone call, will be posted to the address listed on the NaTIS system – onus is on the vehicle owner to ensure the correct address is logged on the national system. The turnaround time for online license renewals is about two weeks.

George Municipality is aware that so-called “bag scratchers” are a general problem, not only in George but in all municipal areas. We ask the community to assist the municipality in addressing the situation.

The municipality has asked our refuse workers to clear spilt refuse bags, as far as possible when they see such an incident. Usually, the same people scratch in bags in the same area and sometimes a friendly discussion between the homeowner and such individuals can result in them not making a mess and closing the bags when they are done. They are usually looking for food or something to recycle for money and residents can assist by putting edible food in a separate bag. The municipality kindly requests that residents do not put their refuse out the night before their collection day, and where possible only by 7am of the day of your collection to avoid such incidents.

Die George-munisipaliteit is bewus dat sogenaamde “sak krappers” ‘n algemene probleem is, nie net in George nie, maar ook in alle munisipale gebiede. Ons vra die gemeenskap om die munisipaliteit te help om die situasie aan te spreek.

Die munisipaliteit het ons vulliswerkers gevra om gemors uit geskeerde vullissakke sover moontlik skoon te maak, as hulle so ‘n voorval sien. Dit is gewoonlik dieselfde mense wat elke keer in dieselfde omgewing in sakke krap, en soms kan ‘n vriendelike gesprek tussen die huiseienaar en sulke individue daartoe lei dat hulle nie ‘n gemors maak nie en die sakke toebind as hulle klaar is. Die betrokke mense is gewoonlik op soek na kos of iets om vir geld te herwin, en inwoners kan help deur eetbare kos in ‘n aparte sak te sit. Die munisipaliteit versoek vriendelik dat inwoners nie hul vullis die nag voor hul afhaaldag moet uitsit nie, en waar moontlik slegs om 07:00 op die dag van vullisverwydering, om sulke voorvalle te vermy.

uMasipala waseGeorge unolwazi lokuba abo babizwa ngokuba ngabagqogqi beengxowa zenkunkuma bayingxaki ngokubanzi, hayi eGeorge kuphela kodwa kuyo yonke imimandla kamasipala. Sicela uluNtu luncede ekusombululeni le meko.

uMasipala ucele abasebenzi bethu benkunkuma ukuba bacoce iingxowa zenkunkuma ezichithekileyo, kangangoko kunokwenzeka xa bebona eso sehlo. Idla ngokuba ngabantu abanye abagqogqa ezingxoweni kwindawo enye kwaye ngamanye amaxesha ingxoxo yobuhlobo phakathi komninikhaya kunye nabantu abanjalo ingabangela ukuba bangenzi mdaka kwaye bavale iingxowa zenkunkuma xa begqibile. Badla ngokukhangela ukutya okanye izinto ezinokuphinda zisetyenziswe kwakhona besenzela ukufumana imali kwaye abahlali banokunceda ngokubeka ukutya okunokutyiwa kwingxowa eyahlukileyo. uMasipala ucela ukuba abahlali bancede bangayibeki inkunkuma yabo kubusuku obandulela usuku lokuqokelela lwabo, kwaye apho kunokwenzeka ngentsimbi yesi-7 kusasa yosuku lokuqokelelwa kwayo ukuthintela izehlo ezinjalo.

In recent weeks the Auditor-General (“AG”) has been speaking about the state of local government as they have commented about the serious lack of good governance and mismanagement at municipalities. They have expressed concern that at present, in many instances, the progressive and sustainable improvements required to prevent accountability failures and to deal with them, do not exist.

In their reporting on the 2019-20 local government audit outcomes they stress the need for ethical and accountable leadership to drive the changes to ensure that governance fundamentals are strengthened. The AG says that they believe that the responsibility to turn around local government is purely in the hands of its leadership to drive the change through “ethical and accountable leadership”. This would require the incoming leadership after the forthcoming local government elections to focus on building a strong administration that is fit for purpose, qualified and professional to run municipalities. The very same leadership should provide the space for the administration to do their work, effectively oversee and hold them accountable for the decisions they make.

These thoughts above, expressed by the AG are applicable to all municipalities in the country. We have foreshadowed this thought process in George in the work that has been undertaken since the beginning of 2021 through the appointment of Dr Gratz as acting municipal manager and three new directors, with a fourth commencing in August and interviews being held for the fifth intended appointment. This new team has already started to effect the improvements that require to be made to improve service delivery.

By way of example, we experienced difficulties with refuse collection some months ago. The underlying issues within this service needed to be analysed and resolved to ensure a smooth operation once more. Similarly, changes that have been made to improve turnaround times to obtain approval of building plans and town planning applications are already starting to take effect. Over the coming months we can expect the new leadership at electro-tech, finance and at civil and engineering services to contribute to improvements in those areas.

The turnaround process that George is undertaking is comprehensive as we need to ensure that our administration is geared to upgrade operating procedures and workflows to cater for the continued economic growth taking place and expected in the coming years.

Change management is however complex both in terms of the changes that need to be implemented and in dealing with the human factor. Changes take time to be implemented. It is therefore critical that the processes be put in place so that we can deliver a high standard of services while simultaneously undertaking improvements to infrastructure that will prove attractive for investment that will lead to increased employment and well-being for all citizens.